A Strange Past
by LifetimeTwilightLov
Summary: QuiGon goes on a mission that doesn't seem to make sense. Will he ever understand why this mission was so important?
1. Chapter 1

Just some random idea I had.

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. Characters that aren't recognized belong to me.

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A Strange Past

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Qui-Gon Jinn sighed as he walked out of the Council Chambers. Yet another mission, he though in annoyance. He was tired from the last and didn't think he would be of much use when he was that tired.

Exhaustion was taking over him as he forced himself to focus on what he was reading about the planet of ZieGen. It was a quiet planet that hadn't had any wars in several thousand years. There were no enemies. Everyone loved the planet. It came as strange to the Jedi, but he was too tired to consider the reasons why it was so. The planet was controlled by Weju Twan, a man with an evil reputation, but it made no sense. The planet had no enemies, but the man had a bad reputation.

Qui-Gon sighed deeply again. I'll finish this on the transport, he thought, standing. He picked up the few books and walked out. He turned corners and followed hallways until he reached the landing platform where an old transport was waiting. He boarded and headed back to the quietest section. Seated, he tried once again to focus on the words, but he was just too tired.

Qui-Gon finally decided to sleep for a few hours and then finish with his studying. He would be of more use that way.

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Qui-Gon exited the ship and was greeted by a boy of perhaps 15 years old. The boy smiled in a friendly way and bowed. "Hi," he said. Qui-Gon thought he detected a bit of nervousness in the child's voice as he spoke.

"Hello." Jinn looked around and didn't see any speeder or air taxi to take him to the palace. He cocked his head at the boy.

"The palace is close, so the king didn't send a transport," he explained. "It's close enough to walk… Unless—"

"No, no, that's fine," Qui-Gon interrupted. He studied the teen for several long and silent minutes. "I'm Qui-Gon Jinn."

Qui-Gon had expected a name in return, but he only accepted a smile as the boy lifted his bags with great ease and began to lead him through the streets. Qui-Gon chose to ignore it and take in the city.

It seemed strange. The streets were empty and the store windows were dark or boarded up. There was not a person to be seen. The only light came from the sun beating down upon them as they walked. The palace was the only building that looked as if it was cared for at all. It was a strange sight. Streets abandoned, there was no reason for this if the planet had no enemies. Qui-Gon suddenly thought there was a deep disturbance in the planet of ZieGen.

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Okay. Tell me what you thought please. I'll add more as soon as I get around to it.


	2. Chapter 2

Qui-Gon was seated next to the king. The boy who had led him to the palace was standing by the wall. Silence interrupted every thought in Qui-Gon's mind, but there wasn't silence. Everyone was speaking and shouting at servants. 

Weju Twan was an evil looking man, which fit his reputation. He was a large man. He seemed to enjoy random outbursts that annoyed other people. His jokes weren't funny, but people forced out laughs. 

The dinner was large enough to cover at least 10 tables. The king let the servants serve each guest as he shoved bite after bite in his mouth. He ignored his guests. Food seemed to be more important. 

Qui-Gon wasn't surprised when he saw the servants just waiting for someone to call out a need for more food or drink. No one dared to leave the room. He glanced at Weju and wondered what kind of man he was. Half the servants weren't old enough to go to school yet and they were being used anyway. 

Qui-Gon happened to glance over at the boy. He was speaking quietly to another boy around his age. He tried to hide a smile, but the Jedi saw it anyway. Qui-Gon tried desperately to hear what they were saying. He only caught a few words. 

"… This isn't exactly… somehow… well, okay, but not yet… not so soon… We have… fine… more later…" 

The other boy smiled at his companion as the king yelled for more wine. They seemed to find something comical in it and Qui-Gon saw nothing funny. Perhaps he had missed too much of the conversation to understand. What were they even talking about? He had no idea and no where to start guessing. 

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After dinner, Qui-Gon was led up to a small room by the same boy. The countless halls seemed to drag on and on for Qui-Gon. The halls were decorated with ancient paintings of old kings or relatives of Weju. Qui-Gon could only guess what they were like after he had seen the current king. 

The boy stopped suddenly in front of a door. "I'd suggest you don't leave this floor," he said quietly after glancing around. 

Qui-Gon frowned. "I have to if I'm to—" 

"Just don't." 

"Why?" 

He searched for words to explain, but there didn't seem to be any. He sighed after a long moment and looked around again. "I don't know who you are or why they chose you, but they did for a reason," he said hesitantly. "And I don't know that either. No one else has trusted me on this one and the same thing has happened to every one of them." He paused for a long moment. "I can't tell you what happened because deep things stir here and it could ruin both of us if I did, but… Just don't leave the floor… Please?" 

Qui-Gon studied him for a minute. "All right." 

The boy opened the door and set Qui-Gon's bags in and turned to leave. 

"Wait." He turned. "I didn't catch your name," Qui-Gon announced. 

The teen stared in surprise for a moment. He hesitated once again before he nodded to himself. "Obi-Wan," he said quietly. 

"Obi-Wan? Obi-Wan Kenobi?" 

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More some other time. PLEASE review. 


	3. Chapter 3

Obi-Wan Kenobi. It was a name spoken all over the Jedi Temple over the past few months. Everyone had heard about him, even Jedi that had been out of the Temple had heard. He was the Padawan of a Council member, Master Kuhi Solp. No one knew what happened to him exactly. He and his Master disappeared so many months ago. No one had heard from either of them. Everyone believed they were dead.

Qui-Gon stared at Obi-Wan's back as he headed down the stairs before Qui-Gon could ask anymore questions. It was an awkward feeling. Qui-Gon had heard the story of Obi-Wan's disappearance and he believed the teen was dead. There didn't seem to be any way for him to be alive. No one could just disappear from the galaxy with no tracing and be alive. But he was. He was alive and well as far as the Knight could see.

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It was early morning when Qui-Gon awoke. He sighed and sat up. He stretched and looked up when his door opened. Obi-Wan entered with a tray. Qui-Gon was puzzled by this for he expected to have breakfast with the king. Obi-Wan saw his look and smiled. "Yeah, the king never has any company at breakfast," he said, setting down the tray.

"Ah… Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon called as he turned to leave. "What happened to Master Solp? And why didn't you send word of some kind?"

Obi-Wan stared in disbelief. "It's not my job to explain anything to you," he said furiously.

"No, but it IS your job to explain and report to the Council," Qui-Gon snapped back.

"The Council? What have they ever done for me?" He paused. "They've known all along I was here. Where else would I be? They sent us on a mission here and they didn't even bother."

"They had informants who said you weren't here."

"And they just expected EVERYONE here to be honest?"

Qui-Gon frowned. "They were good informants."

"Yeah, good? That's why I'm here, right?" Obi-Wan suddenly realized what he was saying and shook his head. "You wouldn't understand, even if I tried to explain."

"Try."

"I can't. Not now."

"When?"

Obi-Wan sighed deeply. "There's an old room down the hall. It's by the painting of the king. Meet me there tonight after dinner and I'll explain as much as I can."

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Qui-Gon waited impatiently for Obi-Wan. He had been waiting for a good 10 minutes before Obi-Wan walked up. Qui-Gon saw the blank look on the teen's face. There didn't seem to be any emotion going on. Qui-Gon felt nothing from him. No anger, fear, or anything. It was just blank.

"So?" Qui-Gon said after a long silence.

"We came here on a mission to help the king find someone—he thought the person had kidnapped his wife and it was causing problems in the tribes around here. We were led up here and they never had a meeting to speak about the mission or anything. Finally, Master Solp got tired of waiting and went down to speak to them."

"And what happened?"

"I was up here and I was waiting for him to return. He never did. I finally went down to look for him. I was taken down to the basement of the palace. There were… THOUSANDS of people there, from every planet and every species. Master Solp was there, but he was already gone… dead. So many people and so little food and water and no light. People went mad. Those that didn't were taken out eventually, used as slaves, those that were least crazy were used as servants, and some were killed for no reason except for King Weju's entertainment." He paused and cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Master Solp was only one of the millions to die. And it happens to everyone here."

Qui-Gon took in a moment to take in the information. "What about the informants?"

"Liars, all of 'em. They all work for the king. He feels having servants makes him more powerful, so he pays them to lie."

Qui-Gon nodded. "Why was I called?"

"Same reason we were called."

"Why didn't you call for help?"

"For one thing, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to talk to whoever came in time. It wouldn't make sense. Asking someone to blindly step into a trap just isn't my way."

"Ah…" Qui-Gon sighed. "What can you tell me about the planet?"

"Peaceful is what you know, right?" Qui-Gon nodded. "Not true though. It's been at war with several planets for years now. There's no one still alive that remembers why they're fighting. The planets at war aren't part of the Republic, and they're too proud to call for help."

Qui-Gon stared at the ground and thought for a long few minutes. "Do you know the way down to the basement?"

"No. King Weju changes the halls every day someone new comes. Too many different ways to memorize them all."

"Then there's only one way to get down there."

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More some other time. Review, please!


	4. Chapter 4

Obi-Wan glared at Qui-Gon as they sat in the basement of the palace. "Great, wonderful plan," he said in annoyance. "Who knows when we'll get out of here?"

Qui-Gon smiled in amusement. "Don't worry. There's a way out of here."

"Oh, really?" Obi-Wan snapped. "I know that, but it could take MONTHS to even get that door to open."

"Then we'll wait months."

"How did I let you talk me into this?"

Qui-Gon smiled again. He thought for a moment. "So what'll you do when you get back to the Temple?"

Obi-Wan stared at him. "Back to the Temple?" he repeated. "Well, I haven't even thought about it yet. I'll think about it when I want to."

Silence fell between them, but words of agony and anger flooded the room around them. Screams of insanity swam around. Women looked desperately around for help. Men stared at them blankly. It was an empty pit of helplessness. There didn't seem to be any way out. Nothing seemed to help them. Everything seemed impossible then.

Obi-Wan sighed deeply and stood. "Where are you going?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Where CAN I go?" Obi-Wan inquired before he started walking away. "I'm just going to look around. Builders would have made more than one way out. One going to the Temple and one going to the town."

Qui-Gon smiled at Obi-Wan's way of thinking. He thought fast and he came up with a solution, even if it didn't work, he did his best to use it to find yet another solution. "How can you see a thing?"

"I can't, but I can feel."

"So…? How does that help?"

"Air, I can feel it blowing. There's an empty garden on that side of the palace. If we can find where the air is coming from, we can find a way out."

"How do you know it's not sixty feet UP?"

Obi-Wan paused before answering. "I don't."

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After so many hours of Obi-Wan weaving through the crowd of people and feeling along the wall, he found a small gap. The rock wall around it was crumbling. There was no way to get out such a small hole. And it was covered, which meant someone knew it was there. Someone who didn't want anyone to escape.

Obi-Wan went back to Qui-Gon. No matter what Qui-Gon asked or how he phrased the question, Obi-Wan refused to answer any questions. "I can't, not here. Too many people will here and they're already crazy enough. We don't want any trouble."

"No, but we can explain to them that we can get them—"

"NO! We can't! They're insane. They won't believe us until they SEE. And with their eyes, they won't see anything except what they want to see. They're so used to living here; they don't want to see the world anymore."

"And how would you know?"

Obi-Wan did his best to stare the Jedi down. "I used to be one of them, all right? I think I know how they are! You have no idea what's going on because you're just as blind as they are. Ever since your Padawan turned, you've been refusing to see what's really there and here in this world."

Qui-Gon shot to his feet. "How do you know about that?"

"You seriously think no one knows? The whole Temple does."

"You haven't been at the Temple, so how would you know?"

Obi-Wan's face showed regret then. "Blast!" he exclaimed angrily.

"How do you know?" Qui-Gon repeated.

Obi-Wan sighed. "Because another Jedi was sent before you, Master Jinn. He told me. He's here and he knows all about the planet. He's one of the slaves here and he lives with it. He knows a way off this planet and he knows how to save everyone here. But he doesn't know when the right moment is."

"Ah… And why didn't you tell me?"

"It's really none of your business. If the Council wanted you to know, they'd tell you."

"Who is this other Knight? And where is he?"

"He's working and he doesn't use his real name here. If King Weju knew who we were, we'd be dead immediately." Obi-Wan paused. "That's why there's no real record of the wars going on. All the Jedi who have come here have been killed or they're captives themselves, desperate to help others here."

Qui-Gon sighed. "I have to tell the Council."

"NO!" Obi-Wan yelled. "You can't."

"Why not?"

"Just because."

"That's not an answer and you know it! Why not?"

Obi-Wan sighed and walked away in anger. He turned and Qui-Gon saw the frustration in his face. "If you tell the Council, it will only result in more deaths. Every single one of these people could be killed if the king finds out Jedi know."

"What does he have against Jedi?"

Obi-Wan frowned and cursed. "The king IS a Jedi."

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	5. Chapter 5

Sorry it took so long to update. I haven't been on here in FOREVER.

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"What does that mean?" demanded Qui-Gon.

"Exactly what I said. He's a Jedi. He left the Order for unknown reasons. All I know is that he's plotting against the Jedi now. He wants something from them, some kind of information," answered Obi-Wan

"About what?"

Obi-Wan ducked his head and sighed. "Can we just get out of here?" he asked impatiently.

"You still haven't answered my question. What does the king have against Jedi?"

Obi-Wan sighed again. "It was an accident. Years ago, he found his parents. It wasn't meant to happen, but it did. The mission went wrong somehow and his master ended up killing his parents. It was an accident, but Weju didn't see it that way. He was captured in the war on that planet and he was tortured into insanity, the EXACT same way he's torturing us."

"If he's insane, how was he elected king?"

"He wasn't elected. He took over the planet."

"And why doesn't the Council know?"

"Because no one dares to say it? I don't know! How about you go ask them since that was your plan before?"

"You told me not to."

"And since when have you listened to me?" Obi-Wan stared at him for a long moment before he rolled his eyes. "Let's just get out of here for now and then we'll decide what needs to happen."

"How are we getting all of them out alive?"

"We're not." Obi-Wan rushed on before Qui-Gon could interrupt. "Listen to me! They won't miss us, two people. If they know something's happening, they'll start killing off people in the streets. We have to find the Jedi who came before you. Can we agree that we want to spare as many lives as possible?" Qui-Gon nodded. "Thank you. Now let's go."

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The streets were emptier than Qui-Gon remembered them. Obi-Wan searched every alleyway before he turned into it. He circled back several times before he arrived at a small building, too small to be noticed by most. He grabbed Qui-Gon's arm and shoved him in through a window and quickly followed.

Obi-Wan pulled Qui-Gon up the stairs to a small room. "Where's the old man?" he asked a dark man with a hood.

The man looked up and there were tears on his face. "He's dead," he murmured. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this. The plan was to save the prisoners. He died though."

Obi-Wan squinted for no reason visible to Qui-Gon and sighed. "How? What happened?"

"I killed him."

Obi-Wan grabbed Qui-Gon's arm again and yanked him back downstairs. They fled to another small building on the other side of the town. Qui-Gon pulled the teen to a stop. "What the hell are we doing?" he demanded.

"We have to go find him."

"The man just said he was dead."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "It's a code. We created it long ago. When he says 'he's dead', it actually means he's running. When he says 'I killed him', it actually means he's leaving the planet. Something's going to happen or has, and he knows it."

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	6. Chapter 6

"What the hell are you talking about?" Qui-Gon demanded.

"I just told you! It's a code! We have to find him before he leaves the planet."

"Why was he crying though?"

"Because the guy wasn't supposed to leave like that. And if he DID leave, he was supposed to take us with him or at least tell us. He screwed the plan."

Obi-Wan led Qui-Gon through several different alleyways and then spotted a man about to board a transport. "Hey! Huj!" Obi-Wan called. "Wait up." They ran to him. "What's going on? Why are you leaving?"

"I don't have time to explain. They're coming after me. They're going to kill me."

"Why? What happened? Why didn't you go through with the plan?"

"I meant to, but I lost control. I completely lost it! I didn't mean to, Obi-Wan. It was an accident! I meant to hurt him, but I didn't mean to…" His voice trailed off.

"What? What are you talking about? I thought you were hiding."

"I left hiding when I heard the news."

"WHAT NEWS!"

"The King killed her."

Obi-Wan stared. "When? How? Why?"

"Pleasure. He was bored. He KILLED HER!"

Obi-Wan's shoulders sagged. "When? And where?"

"Last night when you were locked up in his room. I saw it. I… I went to free you, but I saw him dragging her up there. I had to see what was going on. I saw him kill her."

Obi-Wan ignored Qui-Gon's confused expression. "Where are you going? What did you do to him?"

"I'm leaving the planet. I have to or they'll kill me. I can't risk my life anymore. I know you'll think of me as a coward, but I can't stand it anymore. Please, let me board my transport."

Obi-Wan grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him into the wall. "I'm not letting you leave until you tell me what you did!"

The old man seemed to shrink. He began to sob uncontrollably. "I didn't mean to. You can't tell them what I did. They'll kill me."

"What the hell did you do!"

The man shook his head fearfully and glanced at Qui-Gon. "Please, Obi-Wan, dear boy, you have to let me go. They'll find me and kill me."

"If you were that concerned about it, you would've left right away, but you didn't. Tell me what you did to him! I can't help you at all if you don't tell me. And thousands of people are going to die if you don't explain this right now."

The man sobbed. "I didn't mean to."

"You didn't mean to WHAT?" Obi-Wan yelled. "What did you do?"

"I caught him strangling her. I couldn't control myself. I was so angry. I… I… I killed him."

Obi-Wan released him and watched him leave. He sprinted away back towards the castle, lightsaber in hand. Qui-Gon followed quickly. "What are we doing?"

Obi-Wan didn't answer. They were blocks away from the castle when they heard screaming. Obi-Wan shoved people out of his way and into different alleyways, yelling for them to hide, not run. When they reached the castle, they saw 50 guards at least standing, blasters in hand, shooting off people as they went. On the floor, Obi-Wan saw hundreds of people—dead. All of them.

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